


Silver Lining of the Moon

by mahosushi



Series: Lunar Apathy [1]
Category: Bleach, Cardcaptor Sakura, Fairy Tail, InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different Powers, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Deities, Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Fantasy, Fate & Destiny, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Magic, Multiple Crossovers, Slow Burn, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-01-30 21:51:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21435274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mahosushi/pseuds/mahosushi
Summary: Squalo Superbi was normal as he could have been. Until a godlike Entity chooses him as a warrior to fight with lunar abilities, calling him Son of Half Moon. His mission, to prove himself worthy, is to find the second chosen: The Son of Crescent Moon. Or his soul will be trapped in his moonstone forever.Squalo finds himself in a world not his own—the feudal era. Demons, hand washing clothes and hunting for food is new to him. Left for dead, he finds himself in the care of Rin, much to Sesshomaru's annoyance. Yet, Sesshomaru expresses interest in his future era. Their suppressed revere for one another allows them to form something only they could understand. Enough for Squalo to know that Sesshomaru is the chosen one he’s looking for. Rin is suddenly caught in a web of trouble and her life is on the line, Sesshomaru takes up Squalo on his offer as the Son of Crescent Moon to save Rin.When a mysterious force threatens to get in their way, Squalo does everything he can to unlock his Lunar Apathy—even if he dies trying.
Relationships: Hitsugaya Toshiro & Lisanna Strauss, Sesshomaru & Squalo
Series: Lunar Apathy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1545364
Comments: 7
Kudos: 9





	1. Son of Half Moon

The tabloids were filled with lies.

Why on earth would Xanxus ever try to plot the murder of the president of America? For one, their base was nowhere near America—they lived in Japan. And two, Xanxus had no vendetta against people he had no interest in. The president was a corrupt man, yes, but he gave a rat's ass about what went on in a country that didn’t concern him. As far as murdering anyone there it would be old flames who decided to double cross him during a mission.

But he would never go up against someone bigger than him.

Xanxus wasn’t an idiot and sure as hell knew how to act accordingly. The media and journalists ate it all up greedily and spat out more lies for views. He was trending on Chirp. Squalo slammed the newspaper on the table, causing the mug beside it to tremble. His once piping hot coffee, now cold. And just _after _they completed a mission they started momths ago. There goes his long awaited vacation he'd been dreaming of. _This is fucking ridiculous_, he thought bitterly. Squalo pinched the bridge of his nose trying to gather his thoughts.

He and the others had to find a way to raise enough money for lawyers and the bail money. The moment the murder plot exposed, he was hauled away and never seen again. To make matters worse, he refuses to speak about it. The bail is over a billion dollars, they’re rich but not that rich. They really wanted him trapped, waiting for death.

There was so much tension in the house. Earlier, Squalo bumped into Bel while he made his coffee. Somehow, they ended up in a fist fight. It took Lussuria to separate them. Everyone settled in the living room, sporadically arguing as they blamed each other. 

“Maybe one of you took his jokes out of context—_Mammon_!” growled Bel.

“_Excuse me_?” roared Mammon. “I would never betray the leader like that. He's never joked about that before and never would." Mammon paused, sighing frustratedly. "For all I know, it could have been _you_!”

“You little rat!” spat Bel, drawing his knife. 

“_Enough_!” yelled Levi, tugging Mammon back. “Stop fighting. It's getting us nowhere. None of us threw Xanxus under the bus. It had to be an outsider.” He flicked his eyes at Squalo. “Being Xanxus's right hand, that automatically makes you our leader.”

“Hm,” moaned Squalo. The sound of that made him feel uneasy. He took up the cup of coffee and chugged it down. “Each of us will get a job to do so it’s easier. Mammon and Bel, you guys will find a way to make money quick. I dont care if it's dirty. You know how to clean up your tracks.” He rose to his feet. “Levi and Lussuria, you guys find the best lawyer in the country. Gola, you will hold down the fort. With Xanxus gone, we are surely a target, possession wise.”

“And while we are working our asses off, what will you do?” asked Bel.

“I’ll figure it out,” said Squalo, sighing through his nose. “Dismissed.”

After everyone left the living quarters, he headed to the terrace for some air. What _was_ he going to do? It wasn’t like he could actually pay hin a visit. The police force refused to release his whereabouts until they reached the amount of money to bail him out. They had less than a month to gather it all. What pissed Squalo off was the fact his gut _knew _they won't succeed in time. The evening sky that blended with shades of red, oranges and yellows, hung over his head. He didn’t want to shoulder the responsibility as a boss yet. He wanted to earn in a honorable way. Squalo slammed a fist on the banister. _I'm not __ready..._

A suddenly feeling a grogginess passed him. Weird considering he gulped his coffee down earlier. He should be bursting with every. But his body was beetrwying him. His eyes began to feel heavy. 

There was no point hauling his ass to his room. Sleeping on the couch was fine. He rarely does it when Xanxus is around, actually. He's the boss now he can do whatever the hell he wants. Maybe the idea of earning the title this easily wasn't a bag thing.

Time began to move slowly as Squalo stumbled toward the windowed double doors. His vision became hazier by the second. Despite the slowness, night quickly crept ahead and the half moon rose up over the city. Dizziness crept over him as he headed into the living space. He grabbed the sofa, digging his nails into the felt fabric, groaning.

“Fuck,” he muttered.

He stepped forward, bumping his knee into the table. The cup dropped off the table. The shattering sounded far away. A weak groan escaped his lips as he dropped to his knee and then curled in fetal position. Was it the coffee? He never drank it cold, ever. He grit his teeth. The source of the pain swirled in his stomach. Numbness spread across his lips, into his mouth, crawled down to his fingers and to his toes. He didn't feel like vomiting but it felt like it was coming.

"What the hell is going on…?" 

_You_, said a strange, disembodied voice. It was gentle like a river, yet cold like ice. _Son_ _of the half moon, are you prepared to have your life changed?_

Changed? He loved the life he loved already. Killing for necessity, protecting his beloved boss, living in such a way where he can _pay _people to wash his hair. He wouldn't ask for anything else—other than the return of the feelings he held for his bidd. But that would never happen. Ever. But what was this ‘son of the half moon’ bullshit this voice was talking about? He fought to get up to his feet. It couldn’t be God.... could it?

_Your desire for love is strong_, it said. 

The pain increased the more it spoke. Squalo dug where it hurt, scratching at his stomach. He arched backwards, clutching his head. The pain was so unbearable, he screamed out to the high heavens. Silver light ejected from his eyes and mouth, slowly surrounding him in a vortex. His hair, glowing, whipped around violently. Frost crept along the walls, windows and the furniture. A half moon appeared on the middle of his forehead. It projected itself in the air and the light turned solid, becoming half of a moonstone. It dropped to the ground, bouncing out of reach. The energy burst halted abruptly enough for him to flop lifelessly on his face.

_Take it up, _said the voice_. It’s the key to the place where your desire rest._  
__

“What does that mean?” heaved Squalo. He looked at the stone, wearily.

The near translucent stone sat on the carpet. A flurry of glitter swirled around it. He had no other desires than to save his boss. He wasn’t even thinking about love at all. He barely believed in it. All he wanted to do was sleep and get started on protecting the house with Gola. That's what he's going to do.__  
__

__Why do you hesitate? __Asked the voice.__ Are you that blind to your destiny?  
__

Squalo clenched a fist. “Oh, shut up! Love is bullshit. I learned that the hard way, I’m fine with the way things are.”

Romantically speaking. His silver hair fell over his shoulders as he rested his head down. He’s going insane. It’s because of this controversy that he’s talking to himself right now. To some _god_.

__You have no choice. I specifically chose **you** as the Son of Quarter—or half—moon. Your task is to bring Crescent to us. That will be enough to test not only your strength but your loyalty, __explained the voice.__  
__

“Us? Theres more than one of you? And what is all this ‘son of moon’ bullshit?” hollered Squalo. “I’m not what you think I am. You chose wrong! And I’m loyal to only one person. So piss off__!”   
__

__My judgement is never wrong. Grab the stone. You will no longer try to bargain with me and you will do as I say!__ said the voice, sounding angrier as it spoke.__ There is no time limit—for now. But I suggest you make it quick. __

“If I do this task for you, what do_ I_ get out of it?” asked Squalo. “I don't work for free."

_Your desire_, answered the voice. 

Before Squalo could realize what was going on, the half moon stone flew toward him and transported him through a warped dimension. He rapidly descended from the night sky toward a river. _Splash! _The frigid water, carried him away, as he clutched the stone faintly glowing in his hand. He splashed around, looking for something to grab on but the water dragged him further under. No! He wasn’t going to die here. Not yet. _I ain't gonna fucking drown! _The stone gradually increased its brightness until there was only white.

  
*  
*  
*

Squalo eventually came to, perched on a muddy riverbank. The stone was still nestled into his hand. He lied there for a few minutes before standing up. His dirty, wet hair, glued onto his skin as he hobbled over to a set of trees before removing his drenched jacket. After sitting on a stump, he stared intently at the sparkling moonstone. It definitely saved him from drowning. What significance did this stone have? Why was he chosen and where were the others the voice was talking about? He preferred lone missions but he preferred lone missions he actually understood. He squeezed the moonstone, thinking of home, hoping it would transport him back.

_Try as you may, it will not return you home_, said the voice, in Squalo’s mind. _You will never return home again if you do not complete this task. Now that you’re here, I can lay out the ground rules._

“Like?” Squalo groaned, after tying his jacket around his waist. 

_You mustn’t, under any circumstances, tell anyone other than the chosen about us. We dare not repeat the same incident twice._

“And if I do, what will happen?” inquired Squalo. “You can’t stop me.”

_Repeat after me, “I, Son of Half Moon, vow to keep my destiny silent. Unless I meet the chosen.”. Say it_.

“No,” barked Squalo. 

He started coughing, continuing until blood formed. Then he clutched his stomach before silver light enveloped his eyes and mouth. Pain stretched across his muscles. 

“Stop!” he cried. “A-Alright!” he hollered loudly, unable to bear the increasing pain. “I, Son of Half Moon vow to keep my destiny s-silent!”

The pain stopped. Squalo grunted. This was unfair and stupid. Whoever this bigoted person was, he had the ability to inflict pain on him wherever he was. As vengeful as he was, he had to choose his battles wisely. He couldn't afford to piss whoever this Entity was off anymore. He dug his nails into the dirt, clenching his teeth. All he has to do is find the second chosen and then this will be all over. But where the hell was going to find Crescent Moon? 

_You have until the appearance of the last quarter moon to find Crescent. Your soul and your secret destiny is bound to your stone. Should you fail, you will become one with the stone. Forever. Just like the last person who failed._

“How will I be able to tell who is Crescent?” roared Squalo, pounding his fist on the ground.

_The Son of Moons can always feel the spirit of another destined. Good luck._

Squalo began to walk with a quick pace up the dusty path. Great. He had to _feel _for another Moon Chosen. But the story of the last chosen intrigued him. Why did they fail? How? He was asking much more questions than recieving answers. Nothing but imposing trees stretched above hin and thick bushes surrounded him. All he needed was a place to stay. The cold air brushed against his pallid skin, causing him to shiver. Or he could take residence in the forest and continue his walk when it was brighter. _I can’t believe this_. He thought. It was like he was a commoner. He’s never has to sleep in the dirt before. How will he get new clothes and wash his hair?

_Snap!_ The sound that came from behind him broke his thoughts. He drew his sword out quickly, pointing it to the sound. The hair on his neck pricked as he listened in the dead of silence for any suspicious movement. His eyes flicked side to side, to keep himself on guard in case there was a surprise attack. He stood on his tiptoes, moving slowly and quietly, closer to the bushes. A greenish blue demon emerged from the shadows. It had three big red eyes, a large mouth bearing sharp teeth, beefy arms and scaly feet.

“What the fuck is that?” cried Squalo, backing up while pointing the sword at it. He’s seen his occasional weird enemy but not _that_ thing.

“Moonstone….” Grumbled the demon.

Squalo quickly hid it in his pocket. This was his stone. As much as he didn’t want it, he had no choice but to protect it. It held his life. Literally. The demon swiped at him with its sharp claws. Squalo dodged once from the attack and a second time from falling trees. Damn, it had more power than he imagined. It was also a bit too dark. The only source of light was the moon. If he was chosen, could he draw his power from its light?

“Moonstone has power! Enough for me to become stronger than brethren!” growled the demon. 

Squalo moved as quietly as he could, tiptoeing around to the demon's back. This was the only way he could get the upper hand to fell this beast. It swung again, using its tail this time, taking Squalo by surprise. He sailed in between the trees, hitting the ground. His sword slipped out of his hand as he rolled endlessly before a large tree stump stopped him. 

“Damn it,” he slowly got up. 

It was too dark to search for his sword. When the demon's eyes faintly glowed in the shadows of the trees, Squalo stood up. He clutched the stone again, tighter this time. It saved him earlier, would it save him again? 

He was about to find out.


	2. A new world

The demon loomed over Squalo.

In truth, he was afraid. But to let this thing smell any of it… he knows he can’t win like this. If he wanted to, he had to try and utilize the ability of the stone but how? He had a feeling that this would be his source of power. If the voice contacted him again, he would confirm it. He pulled the stone out of his pocket and held it out for the demon to see. The light of the moon added to the glow that the stone emitted. The demon stepped forward, its fingers twitching as it slowly raised its hand. It’s eyes gradually turned into the same milky color of the stone. 

A taunting grin stretched across Squalo’s face. “Pry it out of my cold, dead hands!”

The demon’s face contorted into anger, snapping out of its trance. It gnashed its sharp teeth before roaring angrily. Squalo got into a defensive stance, preparing for an attack. The demon hunched over, digging its claws in the dirt, scraping his back foot. It began to kick up dust in the air. 

Squalo flicked his eyes toward the moonstone. Work, god dammit. Save me like you did before! Squalo thought in frustration. 

“Give me moonstone, weak mortal!” screamed the demon.

It lunged toward Squalo. He sidestepped, dodging in the nick of time. The demon bashed its head into a tree, disorienting it temporarily. Squalo looked at the stone again. If it doesn’t work, he’d have no choice but to run. Something he hated doing. He can’t find his sword to use and he needs to stay alive. The demon shook its head, groaning. While it was incapacitated, Squalo turned on his feet and ran off. In a matter of minutes, Squalo heard the demon behind him. 

“Piss off, already!” he cried. 

Why was it so attracted to the stone? Squalo ran and ran until he came to a cliffside. He halted to a stop, looking down. It wasn’t much of a drop and it led to another river. The demon slowly approached him, growling. Squalo inhaled, exhaled and jumped off soon after.

The demon stretched its scaly tail out, gripping Squalo by the hand that possessed the moonstone. Squalo slammed against the wall of the cliff.  _ Pop _ ! His shoulder came out of place.

“Agh! Get your hand off o' me, fucker!” yelled Squalo. He gingerly reached up to his dislocated shoulder.  _ Now would be a good time to work, stupid stone! _ Squalo inwardly panicked. 

“Me want moonstone to prove me stronger than brethren! Moonstone give me power!” 

The demon tugged Squalo up. He inhaled, tightly squeezing the stone.  _ I ain’t handing over this stone—I’m not keeling over just yet!  _ Squalo thought. If he was going to run, he’d do it in a dignifying way then. If this counted at all. A bright light emitted from in between the cracks of his fingers. The light increased, until there was only white again. The demon disappeared. Squalo fell, bumping ad slamming into the rocks protruding from the wall. Blood slid down his face. He slammed into the water. With all the strength he could muster, he slowly crawled over to the shore. 

*

*

*

Morning – three days later

_ You must find him. You’re spiritually strong enough to survive—Squalo! _

Squalo’s eyes snapped open. He was met with a warm grin. A girl with hair black as coal, beautiful fair skin, big eyes bright like the stars, kept a close watch on the silver haired man. Her name was Rin. She was the priestess of the village, having earned it when Kaede passed away. But she jokingly stated she wanted the title unless Kohaku offered his hand in marriage. Now, she’s engaged to be wed anytime soon.

“I’m glad you’re alive,” said Rin. “I thought you were dead. You don’t look like you’re from here.”

“Where am I?” Squalo reached up to his head, touching the bandage. 

He felt comfortable in the small wooden house, filled with a lot of historical Japanese décor. He lied next to the fire pit, soup boiling over it.

“You’re in Torikomi Village,” answered Rin. “It’s not such a big place like the others but there’s enough space for you. So where are you originally from?”

“One of the other villages,” lied Squalo.

Rin smiled. She knew he wasn’t being honest. There weren’t many silver haired people who weren’t old. Besides, he felt quite familiar to her—like she could feel his spirit. For now, she'll humor him. Squalo fought to get up. A sharp pain struck him in too many places to count.

“Don’t move around so much.” Rin helped Squalo sit up. “You’re pretty banged up. And you could still have a mild concussion since you had a lot of blood coming from your head.” 

Squalo nodded, silently. Right. He could only remember as far back as being hungover the cliff because the demon wouldn’t leave him alone. It was like it knew where he was regardless of where he hid. Squalo dug his left hand in his pocket, his heart leaped. He felt the other side. His jacket wasn’t on him and he frantically looked around.

“Where is my stone?”

“Don’t worry,” whispered Rin. “Its safely kept in a box.” She paused, pouring him some herbal green tea. “My name is Rin. Who are you?”

“Squalo,” he answered. 

He opted to stay silent but after she rescued and took care of him, he couldn’t do that. Rin handed him the cup. He’s never drank it before, only consuming coffee and water. He stared at it, watching the herbs settle into the bottom of the cup.

“Don’t you guys have coffee?” he asked. 

“Coffee?” Rin tilted her head.

Never heard of coffee before? Oi, vey. He thought. He sipped the tea and wretched. “Yuck! What the hell's in this?” 

“Healthy things that will help your healing process.” said Rin, pushing the cup back to his lips. “Don’t be a baby. Drink it all.” 

“I—I’m not being a baby…” he muttered. The smell didn’t make it any better. 

“So where'd you get the moonstone?” asked Rin.

Squalo flicked his grey eyes toward her. How did she know what it was? He didn’t make it that obvious. He parted his lips, contemplating on how to answer carefully. If she knew about it, she knew too much and he’d have to kill her.

“Why?” he asked.

Rin laughed. “Relax. It’s just…” She paused, staring at the soup slowly thickening in the pot. “It feels familiar. Like I’ve seen it before. Or at least a different variation of it. I can’t really remember.”

Squalo raised his brow, confused. Could she be the chosen Crescent Moon? She may have felt familiarity from him but he sure felt nothing on his side. He stayed silent, refusing to answer. He couldn’t risk death by making the wrong answer.

“Rin,” a deep voice called. 

Rin clapped her hands excitedly, smiling. “Coming,” she tucked Squalo in. “I’ll be right back.”

Squalo struggled to stand to his feet. He slowly hobbled over to the box on the table. He placed his hand on the top, sighing in relief. He tried to pry the box open with his free hand. It was locked. He peeped inside of the hole.

_ Quarts. You’re okay… said the voice. I tried to contact you for days. Are you doing what you’re supposed to? _

Squalo grit his teeth. “In case you didn’t know I was attacked, fell off a cliff and left for dead. Once I’m patched up, I’ll resume my mission. There’s only so much I can do with one arm.” 

_ I see. That’s rather unfortunate. The moonstone has healing properties. It’s much more effective at night but you need it now more than ever. _ said the voice. 

“I thought it was only power sourced,” shrugged Squalo. “The demon that attacked me wanted it for strength. What the hell is the moonstone and why is it my possession?”

_ You aren’t the only one to possess a moonstone. All chosen Lunarites have one depending on their moon phase. All have different capabilities with each wielder. The more you unlock your Lunar Apathy, the more capabilities you can possess. But it’s limited. _ explained the voice.

“So the power isn’t awake already?” growled Squalo. “ _ VOI _ ! You sent me on a mission with nothing for me to protect myself with? I lost my goddamn sword! Now I gotta unlock an ability that may not work because I don’t know how to utilize it?!”

_ … I understand your distress but I told you before—my judgement is never wrong. You have the potential, Quarts.  _

Squalo threaded his fingers in his silver hair, slumping beside the box. He chose wrong. This wasn’t his life. He was taken away from home suddenly and thrust into a world where he had to find a chosen like himself. To prove that he was this Son of Half Moon…  _ person _ . This wasn’t him.

“Choose someone else…” he growled again in a low voice.

“Squalo!” cried Rin. “What on earth are you doing out of bed? And who are you talking to?” Rin slipped herself under Squalo’s arm and walked him back to the bed. “I said not to move around enough.”

“I need my moonstone,” demanded Squalo. “Please. It will help with my healing, too.” 

Rin got up and unlocked the box. She brought the stone to him and Squalo took it gently from her. He pressed it against his chest sighing. It began glowing faintly. The pain in his body slowly began to go away. After a bit, he placed it in his pocket. He’ll do it again tonight.

“Thanks,” said Squalo. 

“I… have a visitor,” said Rin, slowly. “Are you okay with new faces?”

“Unless they wanna kill me, yeah,” answered Squalo.

Rin nodded, smiling. “Come on in, Sesshomaru-sama. Don’t be shy.”

Slowly, Sesshomaru entered the house, glaring at Squalo. As soon as Squalo locked eyes with him, his heart began to drum against his chest. There was a weird feeling across his whole body. There was something about the silver haired, golden eyed individual that made him feel familiar. 

“Squalo, this is Sesshomaru, my guardian,” introduced Rin. “Sesshomaru, this is my new friend Squalo. Please accept him.”

Sesshomaru continuously glared at Squalo before looking away. “Another human? I don’t understand why you keep bringing them into your house. He reeks of worthlessness.”

Squalo growled. “If I weren’t injured, I’d—” he paused when Sesshomaru cracked his fingers, revealing his sharp claws. He slumped in his bed before turning on his side. “I’ll be gone before you know it. I’m gonna get more rest.”

Sesshomaru squinted. There something odd about this guy. A feeling he’s surely felt before surged through his veins. It was like déjà vu with him lying in the very same spot. This couldn’t be coincidence. He wasn’t the first person to come across Rin with that aura. Would he be the last?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention that I update every Thursdays. This is to make sure I have a steady schedule when writing. It gives me enough time to map out the next chapter. This will only be the one time I update on a saturday. 
> 
> Don't forget to comment & kudos. Thanks for reading! ♡


	3. A seed of knowledge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Squalo heals himself with the moonstone, Sesshomaru threatens him to leave the village. Rin reveals a little bit about herself,when Squalo returns home. This pushes Squalo to reveal his mission to Sesshomaru.

As the night fell and the moon hung in the black canvas of the sky, Squalo lied on his back staring at the ceiling. Bored out of his mind. Rin watched him like a hawk the moment he woke from his rest and made sure to feed him. After he was well taken care of Rin and Sesshomaru left the house and didn’t return for a long time. 

Now would be the best time to go out before she does. He squeezed the stone as he struggled to get up. If his moonstone had more than just healing capabilities, he wanted to figure them out and quick. It did save him twice, however. 

When he got out of the house, he stumbled through the quiet village. The ambient sounds of coyotes howling, crickets chirping and owls hooting all harmonized together in a symphony of mesmerizing sounds. He passed a few villagers who warmly welcomed him with gentle smiles and a wave. They sat on their neighbour’s porches, talking and laughing. They all looked at him like he was a part of them, the village itself. And he felt a tiny spark of comfort being here. Like he belonged. A small smile etched itself on Squalo’s face. It was the first time he’s ever felt warmth where his heart sat. 

He slowly walked through the small forest, coming to a gentle running river next to a fire pit. The reflection of the moon brought a tranquil feeling over him. This was the first time he’s ever felt at peace. He sat down, clutching the moonstone in both hands, shutting his eyes. The moonstone glowed brightly, enveloping him in silver light. The wounds across his body began to heal rapidly. Squalo inhaled and exhaled at a steady pace. 

Never in a million years would Squalo ever imagine himself being in this position. And he just rose to leader position, too. If he were to be honest with himself—for once—he missed home. He missed it so much that he wished he could abandon this mission and return. He opened his eyes, slowly, looking at the moonstone. A copper color swirled in the middle gradually fading away before returning back to its milky color and Squalo losing the glow around him. Squalo sighed, relieved. His bones healed perfectly. He took off the bandages and felt his head. No wound. 

So the voice wasn’t mendacious. If there was weight to his words, then perhaps his judgement could be true. But it didn’t mean Squalo could fully trust it. Whoever it was. He leaned back running a hand through his hair. 

A sense of familiarity ran through his veins. As if someone he knew was nearby. His ears perked when the sound of dirt shifted behind him. He quickly got up, standing in a defensive mode. When he realized it was Sesshomaru, he slightly relaxed.

“What are you doing here?” asked Squalo. _Shit_. He thought. _Rin's back_.

“Where did you come from?” asked Sesshomaru.

Squalo tilted his head in confusion. Answering his question with a question.

“I asked you a question,” said Sesshomaru. There was a hint of anger in his voice.

“Rin didn't tell you? I'm from one of the villages up—”

Sesshomaru dashed toward Squalo, grabbing him by the throat, cutting him off mid sentence. Squalo choked and gasped for air as Sesshomaru held him up high. Squalo grabbed at Sesshomaru's hand, trying to pry it from his neck. The more he fought, the more Sesshomaru seemed to be squeezing harder, tightening his grip each passing second. His claws were digging into the surface of his neck, threatening to pierce it. Squalo looked down at his blank expression, yet his eyes had a haunting fury to them.

“I suggest you speak the truth or I’ll kill you without hesitation,” said Sesshomaru. “You don’t smell like the regular folk here. Who are you and why are you around Rin?”

“Put me down and I’ll explain…” choked Squalo. Sesshomaru dropped him and he gasped for air, coughing. _Crazy fucker_. He thought. 

“I come from a future version of Japan. I was chosen by some… non materialized entity to find…” he paused. He can’t say anything about his mission. “… someone.”

Sesshomaru squinted.

“At the expense of my neck, I can’t tell you who.” Squalo added quickly. “In order for me to reveal the truth, you have to be connected to this.” Squalo held up his moonstone for Sesshomaru to see. “If I tell the wrong person, my soul will be trapped in here. I can’t risk tarnishing my mission over a simple mistake.”

Sesshomaru stayed silent. Staring at the moonstone. The more he looked at it, the more it crossed him. A frown formed on his face. Sesshomaru's golden eyes shot up at Squalo who kept staring at the crescent moon symbol in the middle of his forehead. In fact, his eyes were on it the whole time he spoke. His heart told him to hold off but his gut said otherwise. He didn’t know what to trust. He doubted not only himself but if Sesshomaru really _was_ the chosen Lunerite. Despite his conflicting thoughts and emotions, he held his tongue.

“You leave in the morning,” demanded Sesshomaru. “And it’s not a suggestion.”

Sesshomaru couldn’t risk Rin getting to close to Squalo. If he was who he believed he was, then he needed to leave for good. That meant _they_ were back. 

“I wasn’t planning on staying,” said Squalo. 

Squalo walked passed Sesshomaru, rubbing the stone against his neck, healing the small claw prints. The walk to the village was a little more tha nerve wracking. It was almost annoying. If there was something Squalo didn't like was being glared at. To him, it meant tgere was a fight to establishment. With Sesshomaru leering at his every move, he was tempted to go toe to toe with him. They returned to the house, Squalo paused in front of the door before looking back at Sesshomaru. They had a small stare down before Sesshomaru leapt high into the air silently and out of sight. Now it was time to face Rin.

_She doesn’t look like a yeller but... here goes nothing_. Thought Squalo.

Squalo entered the house, smiling sheepishly as his eyes met with Rin’s furious dark ones. She stood in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot.

“_Seriously_? What did I say, Squalo?” she asked, sternly.

“Not to move,” answered Squalo. 

“Exactly,” she threw her hands up in the air, speaking over him. “I thought you ran away. The villagers told me you headed towards the stream and…” 

Rin fell silent. Squalo blinked confusedly. “Why would I do that?” He wound the shoulder that was dislocated before, shocking Rin.

“Don’t do that!” she screeched, scrambling over to him. She gingerly touched his shoulder. “You’ll make it worse!”

“The moonstone healed me,” he shrugged. “I found out that it had healing properties. I figured it would be better to try out the ability at night when the moon was out. Even if it meant my healing process would decrease if it failed. I mean, look at my head.”

Rin stared at the half moon on the middle of his forehead. She nodded silently, slowly reaching up to touch his forehead. They were here for him again—Sesshomaru. Specifically, Squalo. He was the one to convince him this time. That meant they weren't going to give up until he went. She was sure of it because the last person also had a moon Crest on their forehead. 

It hadn’t been too long since their disappearance or demise. But Rin preferred to think of the former. Three years had gone by and not a peep. It didnt even look like Squalo even _knew _of this person.

Rin paused, retracting her hand. When she turned her face away, pulling her hand close to her chest, a sad smile appeared on her face. She shook her head. She’d gotten close to the previous Lunarite. A bit too close. Not romantically. A parent and child relationship had been forged between them. It was so powerful, many thought they _were _related. But it was impossible. For that Lunarite was also from a different dimension. Rin l oved every moment spent with… she shut her eyes. _No_. She couldn’t put herself through pain again. The wounds were still fresh, mentally. Squalo inadvertently opened them. She didn’t regret saving him, however. She even debated on making him stay. Sesshomaru wants Squalo gone. Even though he was never around physically, he was still protector of her village—of _her_.

When she heard the laughter in her head, saw the small flash of the beautiful smile in her mind, she inhaled sharply.

No. She’ll fight to make him stay. Rin never understood why they wanted Sesshomaru. Only the gist of it. Their world, their timeline, was in great danger. After the disappearance of the lunar goddess, it caused a bit of an anomaly in the rift of time. People who should have existed didn’t. Events people knew happened disappeared, leaving others to wonder if it really did. Rin didn’t want to play stupid with Squalo especially if he's one of the keys to restoring the timeline with the others.

Rin knew more than she let on and she would do anything to get Sesshomaru to comply. But it’d take a lot for him to be convinced. After all, Sesshomaru had no interest in doing world saving. That wasn’t his job, therefore it wasn’t a thought. She had a plan but she had to go over it privately.

“I was worried,” lied Rin. “I just thought you went out and something happened to you again. Leave a note or something in case you want to leave.”

“Sorry,” said Squalo, breaking Rin out of her thoughts. 

“Come,” she said. “I have something for you.”

Rin lead him to his bed and pointed to a wrapped gift on the pillow. Squalo took it up looking at her. What did he do to deserve this? He opened it, tossing the lid to the side. He tore the thin paper wrapping the fabric and pulled out a black and grey haori. The sleeve tips were grey colored kikko patterns, blending into the black of the fabric. There were dark grey pants sitting in the box.

“Why are you giving this to me?” asked Squalo.

"You're my friend,” answered Rin.

Rin got up and waited outside as Squalo got dressed. The haori reached a bit over his ankles after he placed on a grey kimono underneath. He closed it with the milky sash, hanging a small pale purple decorative rope on it. 

“_Voi_!” called Squalo. “I’m done!”

Rin peeked inside, smiling brightly as she rushed toward him. She circled around Squalo nodding. "Perfect.”

She sat down across from him. Squalo scratched his cheek. The fit was almost _too_ perfect. It was uncanny. He flicked his grey eyes at her, staring at her suspiciously.

“How did you know what size my clothing was? And how did you get this done so quickly?”

“I took your measurements while you were unconscious,” joked Rin.

“_Eh_?” squeaked Squalo. His eyes widened. “Are you nuts? What is wrong with you, creepy girl?”

Rin laughed. “You’re so easy. Relax, I’m kidding.”

She laughed a little harder when Squalo blushed. Rin cleared her throat, wearing a serious expression. Play time’s over.

“I’m going to tell you something,” she said slowly. “About me.”

Squalo nodded, sitting up straight.

“Whenever there’s a new moon, the villagers and my fiance reports that I float in the air, reciting what I see, prophesying what is to come. I had a vision of your arrival just like I did with the person before you. The only thing I never saw coming was their disappearance and the exact time of your arrival. I just knew you'd be in the lake. Every day and night I'd pass by, hoping I'd see you." She paused. "Those blindsides opened up so many branches of possibilities that I cannot determine which timeline is the real one.”

“Okay,” said Squalo, slowly as the hair on his neck pricked up.

Rin flicked her dark eyes at him. “You’re a Lunarite. Aren’t you?”

Squalo stood up, absentmindedly reaching for his blade. He forgot it wasn’t there. He clenched his fist, hitting it against his hip, gritting his teeth. It was because she saw the stone, dammit. “What are you?”

Rin shut her eyes, smiling. _Too easy_.

“The first time it happened, I thought they were dreams—the visions. I never believed anyone. But every new moon, I had vision after vision, predicting the outcome of everything the last person would do. My belief in my powers grew exponentially. They were looking for the chosen Crescent Moon. Just like you are right now. I’m not sure why but I’m sure it has everything to do with the Lunar goddess's disappearance.”

"Slow down," said Squalo. " Lunar goddess?"

"It's been said that after her disappearance, the timeline became a mess. My theory is that she could have been removed from a certain period of time and that's what caused the rift. But it's only a theory until it's proven."

This was news to Squalo. If Rin's powers and his mission were both connected to that, could she be a Lunarite, too?

“All Lunarites possess a special mark on their forehead, to identify their existence. Like Sesshomaru, you have a moon crest on your forehead.”

When was the last time Squalo checked his face? He didn’t even know he had a crest on him. Squalo slowly sat back down, attentively listening while on guard.

“They also possess silver hair and are said to have mainly grey or blue or pale purple eyes but it seems Sesshomaru is a special case. Lunarites aren’t exactly human. No one knows what they really are or where they came from or why they really exist. Not even the Lunarites themselves. But they have one thing in common: an affinity for the moon. Their spirits are connected to it. Therefore, they’re able to tell who each other are spiritually when in the presence of another.”

“Wouldn’t it be obvious if we see each other’s hair and marking?” asked Squalo.

“Some people can’t _see_, Squalo,” Rin rolled her eyes. “The last Lunarite I met was blind. Said it was punishment for failing the first time.”

Squalo stayed silent, soaking everything in. So Sesshomaru had been inqured before. Was that why he was so hostile before. Perhaps something happened tbay caused him to be so violent toward Lunarites. But if Squalo were to make his own theory, then that means it was their heritage now. And with this information, he could put this toward training but... with Rin's revelation it made it harder on him to take on this responsibility. Especially knowing it could be connected to a rift in time. This meant that this small time mission could burst into something bigger than he imagined.

“You don’t sound like the voice,” said Squalo.

“What voice?” 

Squalo shook his head. “Never mind. Look. What makes you think I can convince him? I barely have enough hope in myself to do so. There are so many fucking  questions raising up again and no answers come forth. I can't do this blindly."

“Stop doubting yourself, Squalo,” Rin reached over and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I trusted you with my side of the truth for a reason. I want to help you.”

“Rin…”

Squalo turned his head aaway. In truth he’d rather die and let someone else pick up the slack for him. He knew that would never happen. He was too stubborn, he was a bit of a perfectionist and he was a man of dignity Silence stretched between them, long enough for Rin to return back to her kneeling position. She stared down at her lap. Squalo looked out the window, staring at the perfect view of the moon. 

If what she said was true, that they were spiritually connected to the moon and could feel the presence of another, then there was no mistaking it. The feeling he felt earlier when he first laid eyes on Sesshomaru wasn’t just a passing phase. In fact, he felt it again when Sesshomaru approached him at the lake. He _was_ the Son of Crescent Moon. And Squalo wasn't going to leave until he succeeded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Worldbuilding is simultaneously hair pulling and calming for me. Mapping things out so I don't make a fool of myself, however, doesn't come easy.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Don't forget to comment and kudos!


	4. God Exists

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Squalo slowly adjusts to living in the past era. Rin expands a little more about the Timeshift. After Squalo reveals to Sesshomaru that he's been chosen to find him, Sesshomaru offers to duel him.

When morning came, Rin and Squalo set out to another town nearby to collect and help chop the wood. Squalo didn’t like the idea of work or getting out of bed earlier than he should. He missed being cozily wrapped in his sheepskin blanket.

“If you’re going to be here for the time being, you have to work like everyone else.” said Rin, sternly. When Squalo refused to move, she yanked the blanket off of him. "If you don't move, I'll tickle your foot."

"Do it and I'll—" Squalo swallowed, biting his threat back. She wore such a scary face.

It reminded him of… _ someone _. A woman he used to know. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to remember who she was. All he could remember was her orange hair and light, icy blue eyes. He shook his head before getting up. They headed to the slightly bigger neighboring Village, Omatsuri. It was a bit more vibrant than Rin's village. There were more lively folks, more pets roaming the streets. Everyone looked happy.

While Rin spoke to the village's leader, an old man offered Squalo a small bag of gold to chop all the wood in his backyard. Seeing all of it nearly turned his skin white as his hair. He spent almost all day helping him. He inwardly complained.

_ Squalo's Childhood I — Mother doesn't love him _

Squalo grew up middle class before he joined the mafia group, Varia. His father, Flavio Superbi, owned a small business in Japan with a hope of expanding it in his home country Italy and then America. He even planned to make Squalo the heir to the company, going as far as naming him after the store. All his mother, Maiko Satonaka, saw was green. They lived in a small suburban neighborhood, in a mid-sized house. Flavio wasn't the type of man to want to live a lavish life. This often clashed with Maiko and they'd spend their days arguing over many things.

Squalo always felt odd. He noticed he bared no resemblance to his parents all. They both had dark hair and eyes, and nearly tanned skin. While Squalo had his noticeable silver hair and pale skin. He never had many friends growing up, and often kept to himself. Squalo was far too shy to get to know anyone. He had a particular liking to blades. He collected knives and anything similar to a blade. Squalo often pretended he was saving the world from peril. Because it was something that felt _right _to him. Then when he turned ten, his own world came crashing down when Squalo's father died—leaving him with his mother. His father's funeral was the only time Squalo cried. He promised he would never shed a tear again. Ever.

“Do you think you’ll become something?” asked his mother. “You’ll _ never _ amount to anything. Flavio could have done something better with his life like being a lawyer instead of a man selling disgusting chocolate." She set the big bowl of chocolate in front of Squalo. "Eat it all. Don't leave one crumb behind."

Maiko was extremely manipulative and emotionally abusive. Thanks to his mother, Squalo could never say no. And couldn't back down from anything. He went all the way to the end to get what he wanted and refused to let up until things went his way. Squalo eventually resented his late father. For being blinded by love. For leaving him behind. His death was a mistake, Squalo being . . . _born _was a _mistake_. The only thing it got Flavio was a son out of wedlock and then buried six feet under. 

He spent all day, stuffing his mouth with chocolate until he couldn't feel his teeth. His mouth and fingers were covered in chocolate. He inwardly complained as he continued to engorge himself while his mother watched. He ate until he was sick. The bowl wasn't empty. Maiko only smiled.

"Just like your father," she whispered before laughing. "Weak and naive. You listened to me without hesitation. That means you'll only be good as a slave. I don't love you, Squalo. Knowing you're my son brings me shame."

Squalo begged himself not to cry. He inhaled as she hurled more insults. Should he fight her, attack her? He wanted to but he couldn't move a muscle. She was right. And he didn't deserve to be loved by her. He was wrong. Physically wrong. In looks, in attitude. The tears brimmed his eyelids as he fought desperately. It stung.

"You shouldn't have been born." she said, coldly.

The tears didn't sting as badly as that. Then she spat on him and the tears began to spill.

Oftentimes Maiko would attempted to kill Squalo. Pretending she was unaware when caught by authorities, usually blaming it on Squalo's mentality. And Squalo began to believe he was crazy at first. But when he endured her beating him when she was angry, blaming him for it, he knew something was wrong... with _her_.

"Why won't you _ cry _?" She screamed as she slapped him across the face over and over. "Cry, you piece of shit! You cried when it was your father! But what about me?"

Never again. Not this time. She can beat him all she wanted. Squalo refused to shed a tear. 

As he grew, Squalo became suspicious of his father’s death, especially after his mother attempted to kill him multiple times. His mother was able to afford a new car, a better home, nicer clothing. He played like he was a fool but he understood what insurance money meant. To her, Flavio was nothing more than a cash cow. She didn’t care about his death. And Squalo _ hated _ her even more. When he turned thirteen, he ran away from home and stationed himself in another district. 

For a time, Squalo disrespected women espeically if they appeared similar to his mother. In fact, he'd sometimes intentionally seek them out. They all reminded him of Maiko. Yet they were easily manipulated. After all, he was a starving child with no home, no parents and no love. Squalo had no regrets using them for emotional gain and a means to survive.

*

*

*

_Present day _

Who knew chopping wood would unearth a traumatic experience in his childhood? Working in the hot sun reminded him of what his mother told him. It also reminded him of the passinate hatred he felt towards her. Squalo could only hope she died. He amounted to something far greater but now he's here, working his ass off. _ She was right_. He thought. _She was always right_. Squalo chopped the last block of wood before wiping the sweat off his forehead. The old man smiled at him as he fed his wife some porridge on his porch.

"You can take as much as you'd like." Said the old man. 

Squalo loaded the cart with the cleanly chopped wood, tying it to make sure none fell out. Then he cleaned the old man's shed, placing the rest of the wood he couldn't carry inside. When he finished, he sighed in relief. Squalo hoisted up cart by the handles.

“Thank you so much, Squalo-kun,” said the old man. “You saved me so much work. Now I can take care of my wife easier. Here’s the gold I owe you. It’s not much but it’ll be enough to fetch you some fruits and such.”

Squalo’s face turned red, taking the gold. “Y-Yeah,”

Rin and Squalo began slowly walking down the dirt pathway. He never got to rest or eat once he started working. ‘Do this,’ they said, ‘Do that,’ they commanded. Squalo wore a deep scowl. He hated feeling sweaty and sticky. 

“I’ve never had to work a day in my life,” he complained.

“Never?” parroted Rin.

“Never,” repeated Squalo. “I had _money_ to pay people to do stuff for me. Wash my clothes, cook my food—now I gotta live like this.” 

Rin laughed. “I see nothing wrong with it.” 

“How am I going to wash my hair? I use a specific brand of shampoo. Same goes for toothpaste and body lotion and soap!” Squalo pouted.

“Well,” Rin shrugged. “It truly seems you _ want _to live like a baby."

"I'm _not_ a baby!" yelled Squalo.

Rin laughed again. "Squalo, you're making this too easy for me. Anyway, remember when I told you about the messed up timeline?”

Squalo flicked his eyes at Rin. “… Yes.”

“Well, the girl who messed it up brought a lot of resources from her future.”

“Could she be the reason why the moon goddess is gone?”

“Could be?” Rin said in an exasperated tone. “She _ is _ the reason everyone is… everything is…” Rin heaved a sigh, stopping in her tracks. “I was supposed to get married a year ago. But when Sango, my future sister-in-law, disappeared before his eyes, Kohaku was never the same. Something happened in a future that caused her to disappear. Possibly the same future as the Moon Goddess."

“Does this Time Wench have a name?"

“Kagome,” she answered. "But we refer to her as the Timeshift."

"Where is she so I could tell her to fix this shit?"

"Not even Kagome exists anymore,"

"_WHAT _ ?" roared Squalo. "You're telling me she messed with time so badly that even _ she _doesn't exist anymore? How the hell did she do that to herself and others?"

“I don’t know,” Rin shook her head. “But I think after you get Sesshomaru on your side, you’ll figure out the reason. I’m sure that’s why you were specifically chosen. You carry the legacy of the last Lunarite that was here.”

“And who was that?” asked Squalo. “Stop keeping me in the dark about that. I want to know. Unless you’re going to tell me to wait until I’m assembled with the others…”

Rin laughed and Squalo blushed in embarrassment. She was an easy read. As soon as they reached the village, they wasted no time delivering lumber for those who needed it. Then they took the rest to the woodsman. After that, they went scavenging for fruits, nuts and other stuff to eat in the forest. He looked up at Rin as she picked berries lost in thought. She had such a sad look on her face. His old self would have berated her. But… how did he trust her so easily? He wasn't over what his mother did to him. Squalo came to blindly trust women. Surely Rin had something up her sleeve. But he could tell her heart was far too kind to pull the wool over his eyes. So far, Rin had been extremely honest and trusting toward him. Was he obligated to do the same thing? Additionally, she saved him from death. And that sad look on her face as she picked berries pulled at his heartstrings. He couldn't bring himself to disrespect her.

“Come to think of it,” said Squalo, filling up his wicker basket with fresh raspberries. “You do seem advanced for this timeline. I mean, you saved me from a concussion. This era is about 400 years in the past." Squalo popped a berry in his mouth.

“Kagome brought a doctor, a teacher, a police and many other helpful people here to help us,” Rin popped a berry in her mouth, too. “They taught a lot of people across the village and even further. Eventually, something opened up in the far end of the east side. People can travel to and from the modern era and back. Kind of blending our timeline together.”

If that was the case, he can go home anytime. But what would happen if he crossed it? Would he merge with his stone? He suppressed the thought. Plus, with the timeline merged like that, it could cause an even greater stress to his future. He had to convince Sesshomaru and fast.

“… I’m grateful for that.” said Squalo.

Once they collected enough berries, Rin and Squalo made one last trip down the lake to catch some fish. Rin made it look easy. They had fishing rods but Rin loved catching it with her hands. It reminded her of her younger days when with Sesshomaru. Finally they were on their way home. Squalo wanted to just lie down and sleep for the rest of the night. But he had a bigger, more important task—telling Sesshomaru about his destiny. He had no time to waste. Spending time with Rin certainly brought back a warm memory. And it reminded him yet again of that orange haired woman. He pressed a free hand to his forehead. Who... was she? And why was she appearing in his head? As Squalo and Rin walked back to her house, waiting outside the door was Sesshomaru. As soon as he laid eyes on Squalo, he squinted, preparing his claws.

He snarled, baring his teeth. “I thought I told you to leave!” 

“I need to tell you something ," said Squalo. "And I’m not leaving unless you listen to what I have to say.”

Sesshomaru stepped forward. ready to attack him. Rin cleared her throat, throwing a warning glare at Sesshomaru. He relaxed, staring at Squalo intently. He turned on his heels, entering the house. Rin began to prepare a meal for all of them. But she kept her hearing on the boys in case something happened. Squalo settled himself on his bed, kneeling down. Sesshomaru sat across from him. They glared daggers, murdering each other with their eyes.

“Speak,” commanded Sesshomaru, breaking the silence. “But when you are done, you are to leave and I’m not going anywhere. If you return, I'll kill you.”

Squalo growled. “You are Son of the Crescent Moon. I was chosen by a... being to bring you with me. If I fail, I’ll be trapped in my stone.” said Squalo. “And I’m not going to be doing that anytime soon. You’re coming with me.”

“Says who?” asked Sesshomaru. “You can try my younger half brother, InuYasha. He might probably have enough power for you.”

Squalo shut his eyes, sighing. “If I was to seek your half brother, I would have done so. I was commanded to bring _ you _ specifically.”

Sesshomaru scraped the ground, visibly irritated, leaving behind subtle claw marks on the ground. Squalo wasn’t going to let up. They sent him because they knew the last one failed—and died by his hands. He has no remorse or regrets. He did it to protect Rin and mostly himself. He couldn’t trust them after…

“What happened to the Moon Goddess doesn’t concern me. So what if she’s gone?” said Sesshomaru. 

“Look…" Squalo, lowered his head. He was frustrated and on the brink of anger. "I _ never _ believed in god and will never believe in god. Frankly, I don’t even know if the moon goddess really exists and is only a fable. But I'll admit, I'll believe in her if it meant I could continue to draw breath. I got ripped away from my life—my time," he paused as the anger slowly rose. "to chase a miserable ass like you. I'm not failing all because you’re too much of a _ coward _ to come with me. I don’t care about some goddess either but I _ will _ be walking away with you! _ Fottuto uomo ridicolo_!”

Sesshomaru stayed silent. He slightly admired that Squalo was strong-willed, determined to get things done and… loyal. While he didn't fully trust him, Sesshomaru knew Squalo would hound him eternally if he didn't comply. There was one way he could settle this and it was _his _way.

"Watch who you call a coward," Sesshomaru stood up. “Meet me atop the cliff peak across the river. The one you fell from.” 

“Why?” asked Squalo, a hint of distrust in his voice.

Sesshomaru exhaled through his nose before turning on his heels and leaving without a word. Squalo growled loudly, following after him. But by the time he got outside, Sesshomaru was gone. _That son of a bitch! _he thought angrily. At least Sesshomaru didn’t attempt to harm him. Dinner was finished and Rin served him a heaping helping of the fish stew. While they ate, she put a pie to cool on the counter. Squalo was used to take out and junk food. He remembered eating stew and yummy curry growing up with... a different mother. Ever since she disappeared he couldn’t eat another person's cooking. At least until now.

Rin cleared her throat after swallowing, “Sesshomaru isn’t exactly weak.”

“I don’t care,” said Squalo, stuffing his face. “I feel thrilled when I fight opponents stronger than me. If that’s what he wants, then I’ll do it."

Rin set her food down, nervously shuffling her feet under her. She doubted she could stop him. Once Squalo made up his mind, there was no way she could change it. She nearly succeeded with her last friend but then her friend was murdered in cold blood. She couldn’t see Sesshomaru in the same way she used to ever again. She forgot to pick sunflowers again, in her honor.

“Wait until it’s new moon,” suggested Rin. “That way you’ll at least be equal. I forgot to mention Lunarites lose their abilities on the night of the new moon. So they rely on strength. He still isn’t that weak but it’s a fair advantage.”

Squalo gulped the fish stew, greedily, half listening to what she was saying. He was so hungry, he found himself licking the bowl. Rin shook her head. For a rich guy, he sure didn’t have table manners. After a few more bows, Squalo let out a loud, satisfying belch. Squalo didn’t want to keep Sesshomaru waiting. Plus, he wanted to see what he was capable of and why the voice wanted him. If he leaves now, he can find his sword in time.

“I need to find my sword,” said Squalo. “I nearly forgot about it." he stood up, stretching. 

"Be safe," said Rin. "If you aren't back in an hour, I'll send out a search party."

"Yeah, yeah," groaned Squalo.

He didn’t need anymore looking after. His gut was satisfyingly full. Squalo wasn’t exactly freshened up but he’ll think about that after the fight. All that was on his mind was looking for his sword. How could he almost forget about it when it was so precious to him? Was it because he couldn't remember his caregiver's name? Ran..._something_. He fought to remember her name. But all he could remember was her face. Her warm smile. He headed outside. The sky was beginning to darken. He made his way to the lake. He looked up at the cliff side. From the top, it didn’t look that high. But looking up at it from below, he questioned how he survived. After finding a pathway, he made his way up carefully walking on the edge. 

_ Quartz _, called the voice, jumping him out of his skin.

“It’s Squalo,” he groaned. “What?”

_ Are you really going to spar against Crescent? The girl wasn’t wrong when she said he’s powerful. _ It said.

“I want to see why he’s so important to you guys,” shrugged Squalo, walking through the bushes. “Who knows, I might be able to test out my powers on him.”

_ Quartz, you have no idea who you’re dealing with. Sesshomaru may be Crescent Moon but his power nearly matches that of Full Moon. He also surpasses you enormously in strength. It's best you just work on convincing him verbally instead. _ warned the voice.

Squalo, irritated growled, “If you're so concerned about my safety, convince him yourself! Besides, when I have my sword in my possession, I’ll win the fight easily.”

He ignored the everlasting warning thrown his way as he walked where he first landed. He began retracing his steps. It was nowhere to be found. He sighed, burying his face in his hands. He never had attachments to anything other than his weapon. It was his only memory of his replacement mother. When she bequeathed him her blade, she said something. It was a warning of sorts. The memories were almost coming back to him.

Darkness fell overhead. Stars littered the sky and the moon ever so thinned out. It was the Crescent moon tonight. This meant that Sesshomaru's powers were vast beyond comprehension. At least that’s what he got from the little knowledge he has with the Lunarites. So far, he was coming to understand it better. Squalo took out the moonstone and squeezed it, sighing. It better protect him. He could follow Rin's suggestion and even the voice but… he doesn’t go back on his word.

He finally headed back to the cliff side. Sesshomaru stood waiting for him. With Squalo’s blade gripped tightly in his hand. In front of Sesshomaru, stuck in the ground, was a white blade. 

“What are you doing with _ my _ blade?” roared Squalo.

“So you had the blade all along,” said Sesshomaru. “How it ended up in your timeline, I’ll never know.”

“Hand it over!” 

Squalo stepped forward before freezing when Sesshomaru pointed the blade end at him. His breath hitched in his throat, then he swallowed the thick feeling. Squalo looked at the blade before slowly trailing his eyes up at Sesshomaru's cold glare. He illuminated under the moonlight. It began to grant him magical strength.

“You could never have connected with it, could you?” mocked Sesshomaru, smirking. “The black blade, Yin, created from the chaos god himself is said to have the strength of one hundred thousand men and can obliterate mountains in one swing. It called out to me the day it left your hands. Thanks to the phase of the moon, you'll never be able to conquer me." He smiled. “Will you share the same fate… as Hinata?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to kudos and comment!
> 
> The world and lore building is killing me!


	5. Killing Perfection (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Squalo enters his first battle with Sesshomaru and it isn’t easy. Will he be able to overcome the mighty power and fulfill his duty?!

"What are you waiting for?" Said Sesshomaru in a commanding tone. "Draw your blade, Squalo. Or do we call each other by our true names?"

"Who the fuck cares," muttered Squalo. 

Squalo slowly walked up to the white blade, looking at it with a heavy feeling in his heart. He grabbed the hilt reluctantly. The black blade, Yin, was his. At least he felt that way. How dare it reject him! He's killed, he's lied, he's stolen from and manipulated women for years! Was that not chaotic enough? He grit his teeth in anger. He looked at Sesshomaru. A surge of energy rushed through his veins as he pulled the sword out of the ground. He never felt that when he took the blade of Yin the very first time. He bit his bottom lip as he pointed the blade to the sky. 

This blade felt so right to him.

It felt better than Yin. Despite the resentment eating away at his heart, he felt comfortable with this blade on hand. He spent years connecting to Yin, yet he connected to Yang instantaneously.

“Yang,” said Sesshomaru. “The polar opposite of Yin. It is a blade of healing created from the bone of the god of order. It is also said to devour chaotic energy and turn it into magical or physical power. While my blade is from the chaos god, I, the user bear no chaotic energy.”

"Then why—"

Squalo clenched his teeth. Apparently, he didn't either. Now he had to find a way to absorb its energy. He looked at Yang. It should be exactly like wielding the other blade. He doesn’t know who this Hinata person is but there’s no way in hell he’s going to take a dirt nap like she did. He pointed his blade at Sesshomaru.

“Sesshomaru!” cried Squalo. “You _will_ be coming with me!”

Sesshomaru smirked as Squalo recklessly charged at him, loudly yelling. Squalo swung his sword at Sesshomaru, who easily blocked each strike without flinching. They fought in a battle of strength as sparks flew from the grating of their blade. Squalo jumped away, landing on his feet gently. He could feel his connection with Yang but he wasn’t sure how to utilize its ability. Even when the blades touched, he felt no chaotic energy being absorbed. 

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru on the other hand looked like he already made a pact with Yin. That made Squalo even more jealous. He had the sword for so long and this guy could control it without even trying. Maybe that's why Yin chose him. He wasn't weak. Sesshomaru swung the blade at the ground, sending a mighty shockwave splitting the ground in a fissure. It hurled to Squalo at hundreds of miles per hour. Squalo jumped out of the way and watched as it cleared a path behind him. His sleeve slid off his shoulder. That would have been him if he didn't move.

_Work, you piece of shit!_ Squalo thought. 

Squalo charged for him again, taking a swing at Sesshomaru. He blocked the attack in perfect succession. The clanging of their sword echoed through the night. Sesshomaru threw a punch at him, hurling him through the trees. Squalo rolled until he hit a large stone. He struggled to get up. Sesshomaru was holding back. He knows it. That made him feel weaker than ever. He scraped at the ground. An opponent that held back despite being stronger than him was embarrassing. It meant he pitied him. Or worse, mocked him. 

Squalo wiped the blood that ran down his lip on the back of his hand. Sesshomaru landed in front of Squalo, who finally stood up to his feet. 

"You are a disaster," mocked Sesshomaru. "How does one be connected to something yet disconnected at the same time?" He flipped his hair before dusting his moko moko off. "In truth, I've been watching you closely."

"I had no intentions of harming Rin," said Squalo.

"That's not why I kept a close eye on you," Sesshomaru flicked his golden eyes at Squalo. "Within a few minutes, I gathered that you're nothing but stubborn brat. You complain about everything and you're even complaining in silence, right now. If you don't get something you want, you bawl like a bitch."

"That's…"

"I took something that seemed to beat your pride into submission. It must be embarrassing watching someone you barely know wield a sword you've had for years." 

"How the hell did you know that?" yelled Squalo. "Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

"And even now, you're doing what got you nearly killed in the first place… you don't learn, do you? You also dwell on the past like the Timeshift."

_Bullshit_. Sesshomaru is spewing nonsensical bullshit! He'll make the sword work, he'll prove that fucker wrong. He will cut Sesshomaru's arm off to make him shut his damn mouth! No matter how he slashed at Sesshomaru, he couldn't land a hit. It only got him angrier. Sesshomaru had enough. What a transparent fool, he was. He knew Squalo was a very capable fighter and swordsman. He won't admit it but his moves were impeccably better than even his own. It was his hot-headed nature that was one of his weaknessess.

Sesshomaru pulsates. Energy began to form around him. Orbs of light slowly floated down from the sky and surrounded him. He grabbed Squalo by the face, holding him back. With the clang of his sword against Squalo's, he slices Yin cleanly in half. Squalo stared in shock at the remnant of Yang as the blade fell to a clatter at his feet. He couldn't believe it. He fell to his knees. The battle was over before it began. What use was it when he couldn't even hold his own? Maiko is screaming at him. _You'll never amount to anything. _

Sesshomaru stabbed Squalo. 

"I'll be damned if I let you simply give up without dying. You fight on my terms, you _die_ on my terms. At least Hinata had the willpower to keep going and did with dignity. You, on the other hand, make me laugh. You will be dying a fool and a disgrace to the swordsman name. Pitiful." Sesshomaru squinted when Squalo didn't make a sound. He pushed the sword further into his back.

Squalo groaned in pain as blood filled his mouth and trickled down his lips. He looked down at the blade protruding from his stomach. Then he hunched over when the pain was too much to handle. He's faced death numerous times, except in this moment it was different. The blade unlocked a memory that hid within the depth of his mind.

It reminded him… of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally I'm back, baby!! This may be my shortest chapter. But it's split into three parts. I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Comment and kudos for more!


	6. Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Squalo makes it his duty to punish women because of his terrible upbringing, Rangiku entering his life changes the course of his destiny.

Squalo knew he couldn’t become fond of the opposite sex even if he wanted to. Every time he felt he would get too close, every time he felt he would sympathize — the rippling thoughts swim through his head. _ They're all like Maiko. _ Manipulative. Abusive. Users. He thought that so much, it was too believable to stop thinking about. They were all the same. And that's why he had no trouble using them. _ They were all the same _. He puts on an act, cries a couple of tears and their heartstrings are tugged. Food, a temporary place to stay, new clothing? He got it all. They would even give him pocket change. A few hundred thousand yen. Rich women were his target and they were his favorite. 

Because that's all his mother _ pretended _to be. 

They looked and spoke like her, too. Acting cute and sucking them dry was too easy. He has them in the palm of his hands. There times he would feel little remorse for the things he'd do. But then he'd find himself in another prefecture and repeat the process. Settling down and willingly love with someone was a thought but he had fun leeching off of multiple women, coming up with sob stories that choke holds them. 

He'll keep doing it until his hunger of hurting women is satisfied. In truth, he did it because he was afraid. Afraid he'd meet another Maiko who would cause him to hurt the way his mother did. He won't allow himself to get hurt. He won't allow himself to be or feel vulnerable. 

On a slightly cold autumn morning, Squalo had just finished setting up in the new city he moved to. He lived near the busy streets of Hokkaido, tucked away in an alley less frequented by people. He stayed near the large dumpster where he would often fight rats, stray cats and dogs for the next meal that was thrown away. He carefully planned now to find his next target. He set out on his journey, staying near banks, high end restaurants and other places he believed where rich women spent their time. They all shooed him away like a dog. But he was used to that. He wasn't always successful and he would keep searching until he struck gold. 

One night in particular, he found himself near a bar. A large chested woman stumbled out half drunk, barely keeping on her feet. "I get into _ one _ bar fight and I'm the one kicked out! This is _ so _unfair against me as a woman!"

"You not only instigated the fight, you stole the guy's money and then rammed his head through the wall!" Cried the owner of the bar.

"Shoulda kept his hands to himself." The woman said, then belched. "Whatever. I'm out of here. The service and the alcohol sucks at this damn shack."

A malicious smile crawled across Squalo's face as he approached her. He froze when he noticed her hair was an unusual color. Squalo purposely stayed away from women who had light brown hair or wore contacts. They were _ nothing _like Maiko. She never did her hair or nails, despite acting like she owned big businesses. She just loved wearing real fur and expensive shoes and expensive leather bags. Squalo turned on his heels. He'll find somewhere else to stalk the next time.

"Hey kid!" Yelled the woman. 

Squalo felt his heart jump in his chest and then, without thinking, he ran. The woman was kind of drunk. She would _ never _ run after him. He was wrong. Squalo could hear her footsteps behind him as he turned the corner. When he thought she wasn't no longer behind him, he looked back to make sure. Then he bumped into someone. When he looked up, it was the woman. _ How the fuck did she…? _Squalo backed away, nervously.

"What do you want?" He whispered.

"What were you doing hanging around a bar?" asked the woman, slowly walking towards him. "You shouldn't be outside late at night. Where are your parents?"

She squinted to get a good look at his face but it was too dark and she was too tipsy to care at that point. If she were as honest as she could be, she was concerned for him. So much that the question just slipped out. The woman could see that she struck a nerve within the boy however. 

Squalo grit his teeth, clenched his fists tightly, he felt the skin taut around his knuckles. "Mind your own business, drunk bitch! I was thirsty! Leave me alone!"

_ Rude brat _, she thought. 

"Don't make me see you around those places again!" She scolded him. 

She isn't his mom. When she stumbled over to a wall and leaned on it, Squalo carefully moved passed her. He looked at her hoping to get an image of her face, too but the darkness overwhelmed her so he ran off all the way back to his alley home.

*

*

*

White clouds hung overhead and cold air blew the rainbow of leaves around. Squalo spent night and day, trying to find women to ruin, yet he couldn't find any that were his standard. When he thought he found the one, it turned out they were average. 

He woke up hours earlier than he expected today. Hunger swirled around in his stomach—it felt like it was eating itself. he had the money to go to a good restaurant but greed kept him starving and dirty. He didn't want to lose a dime to food that was priced too high for its own good. Plus, he wanted to save up to million yen. So far, he only had one fifty thousand yen saved from that time he scored big. By the time he would be done in an average restaurant, he probably have to start from square one. He _ could _eat convenient store food but his palate was too refined for that. After growing up on steak and Italian and french dishes, there was no way he would stoop to low levels.

Squalo found himself walking down the streets, looking around as shops opened up ready for business. His stomach growled and twisted and tempted him to swipe anything he could stuff his face with. There was a woman standing at a street vendor who sold fruit. In her bag, a few of those fruits hung out, preparing to fall. He could wait and hoped it would dall and swipe it. Would she miss _ one _apple? Then he saw her wallet poking out of her bag in a pocket of her purse. He swallowed. Was he hungry for food or money?

He quickly whizzed by her swiping her wallet. He made his choice. 

"Hey!" Cried a man's voice. 

Squalo jumped when it a rotund police officer quickly jogged over to him. He dashed down the street, hoping to find a crowded area to lose the cop giving chase. When Squalo turned the corner, it was almost empty. _ Dammit! _He thought. Squalo tripped over a risen ledge, the wallet slipped out of his hands and bounced away from him. The cop aggressively yanked Squalo up by the back of his shirt. 

"I saw what you did, you little thief!" 

"She gave it to me!" cried Squalo. "Let me go, asshole! You're hurting me!"

"Get away from him!" hollered a familiar voice.

It was the woman he met a few days back.

The woman stormed toward the officer, who had Squalo tightly in his grasp. Her footsteps pounded loudly against the pavement. Squalo wondered if it cracked each step she took. The anger he felt radiating from her, rattled him a little. Her face was red as a beet when she stopped in front of him, with her hand on her hips.

"Did you not hear a word I just said?" She barked. "I said to let him go, _ now! _Unless you wanna deal with my foot stuck somewhere you don't want!"

The cop looked back at Squalo, who fought to tug himself out of his thick, fat hand. "Do you realize you're talking to a cop?"

"I think an angry _ mother _is much more dangerous than some lousy cop!"

The cop furrowed his brow, gripping Squalo's collar tighter. "Well, this little rat stole from a lady down the street!" He shook Squalo as he spoke.

"I said she gave it to me, asshole!"

"Why you little—"

"I'll deal with him myself!" growled the woman. "I'm preparing to shove my foot so far up your ass, your boss will have to hire me as your partner."

Rangiku bared her teeth, and police aggressively shoved Squalo down to the ground. He waddled away, muttering angrily. Squalo, stuck up his middle finger before he fixed his shirt. Rangiku looked at Squalo sternly, smacking him on the head. 

"If it isn't bar kid," she stick her hands on her hips.

Squalo ignored her, grabbing the wallet. He opened it and counted the kidney inside. Only a few thousand yen. He wasn't surprised. She looked less than average than the other women he came across. The woman swiped the wallet from his hands.

"Hey!"

"Kid, you can't go around stealing from people,” her eyes softened when she looked at him. Yet her voice stayed stern. "We're going to find that lady and give this back to her. You should be ashamed of yourself!"

And he did. Especially when he had to walk to the frantic lady, talking to the same police who shook him round like a doll not too long ago. He looked at the woman he stole from before stretching his hand out, meekly. She grunted and ripped her wallet out of his hand.

"You rotten child," she yelled. "If you're going around stealing, you'll never amount to anything. You'll always be a nuisance!" 

Squalo lowered his head. What if Maiko didn't kill herself? What if that was her? No. She would have taunted and teased him before insulting him. The woman he stole from stormed off passed him, muttering and the cop flicked his eyes toward the Squalo.

"You _ better _ feel ashamed!" He spat.

"Enough!" Cried the woman. She tugged Squalo away from the area and stopped in front of a ramen shop. She tilted his head up and looked him in the eyes. "If I hear you've been stealing again, I'll give you a spanking you won't forget!" 

Squalo stayed silent, staring at her intently. There were tears running down his face. He wanted to look away but she kept his head in place. Now that he could see her face, he took in how beautiful she was. More than any woman he has come across. She has thick, long Auburn hair and ice blue eyes. Her lips were thick and there was a beauty mole next to them. She was shapely and curvy. 

Maiko resembled a twig. She was different. She felt warm. But before Squalo could get any ideas of becoming attached, he lowered his eyes. He refused to thank her. She's the reason the woman insulted him in the first place.

_ Grrrr _his stomach growled. Squalo couldn't take it anymore. The woman took him inside the ramen shop. He didn't care what food he crammed in his mouth, he just wanted to eat. Pork, beef, chicken… there were so many to choose from.

"I want a large pork bowl with takoyaki and sake!" Squalo grinned.

"Apple juice for the boy," said the woman, tugging at his ear. The chef laughed as he walked away to prepare their food. She turned to Squalo. "You're not old enough for alcohol."

"I've drank it before," Squalo rolled his eyes. "Clearly, I can keep it together."

She rest her chin in her hand, gazing at Squalo. She's come across many unruly children in her life but she's never felt so attached to one like Squalo.

"What's your name?" she asked, ignoring him. She chugged a big bottle of sake. 

Squalo riddled his thumbs, "What's it to you? What's _ your _name?"

"I'm Rangiku," she introduced herself. She stayed silent swishing the contents inside before speaking again. "You look familiar, you feel familiar."

"Crazy lady," Squalo muttered. "I've never seen you in my life!"

_ But I have _ , thought Rangiku. The gut feeling she felt the moment she met Squalo that night didn't dissipate at all. The familiar color of his hair, the structure of his face. It _ was _him. As soon as they got their food, Squalo began stuffing his face. After two bowls of large ramen, three rounds of takoyaki and gyoza, Squalo was satisfied. Since they ran out of juice, he was offered coffee. 

"Man, you can sure eat for a skinny kid," chuckled Rangiku. "You're not as much of an eater like me but I fear I have competition." 

"I think it's time for me to go," said Squalo, quickly. 

This had to be the first and last time he ever talked to her. She'd become an obstacle in his plans to bleed the rich dry. She spoke to him like she knew him. If he isn't careful, He would become attached. He isn't sure how he'll act if he did but he was sure he wouldn't let go.

Rangiku followed Squalo all the way back to his alley home. He turned to Rangiku, failing to look her in the eyes. _ You feel familiar _. He seemed to resonate with those words. Where did he know her from and how? 

"Why don't you find a better place to stay?" She asked. "I have a nice apartment you can stay in. My body's comfortable so I can take the couch."

"Look, lady, it's none of your business," said Squalo, in frustration. "Go away! I don't need you. " 

Rangiku sighed, "You have to come back with me. Please. I can't leave you out here all alone."

"No," growled Squalo. "You're annoying me. Acting like you're my mom when you _ aren't _at all!"

"Enough, Squalo!" She boomed.

His eyes widened. How did she know his name? He didn't accidentally tell her, did he? No. He'd have already left the moment it slip. Rangiku knew it. His reaction spoke loudly. She sighed and turned on her heels. She'll let him think it over. Rangiku walked off, silently. She had her suspicions to think about too.

"How do you know my name, stalker? Stupid woman, get back here!" yelled Squalo.

*

*

*

Despite loving the freedom of the street life, Squalo began wanting to live like a normal kid. What was it like going to school, making friends… He shivered as he pulled the blanket off of him. Rain spattered against the makeshift iron roofing. He placed several buckets around him to catch the water dripping from the crevices. He barely had any space in his "room". His body ached more than usual. Hus head was pounding and everything sounded louder than usual. His vision began to blur as the feeling became worse each passing second. There was a bright light as the board he placed up was moved.

Rangiku felt his strong energy radiating before his began to fade. She picked Squalo up in her arms, his back soaked in sweat. He couldn't form a coherent sentence when she pressed his face close to her bosom.

“It’s okay, my darling,” said Rangiku. She tried to keep composed. “I’ll save you. I’ll save you—I’ll never let you go again. I promise.”

All night she had talked to her partner, Jushiro, who was on the mission with her to find their son. After Rangiku gave him the description, they concluded he _ had _to be the baby they left behind all those years ago. Why he was wandering around was beyond them but fate led her to meet him the night he was stalking the bar. As the days drew near trying to find him, they were warned Squalo would die and he was. At a rapid rate.

It took her a while of evading the eyes of the public as she quickly made her way back to the underground base she lived at. It was no merr apartment, in fact, it was a cover up in case anyone may have been listening to her. She input the secret code, scanned her hand and the security let her in. A nurse quickly took Squalo from Rangiku and laid him on a stretcher. They frantically ran down the hallway and into a room where Squalo was subjected to a series of tests. Rangiku waited for hours hoping he'll be fine. Finally, her old friend Mayuri approached her and lead her too his office.

"It's a bad case of the Moon Plague," said Mayuri, typing away on his computer.

"It wasn't supposed to hit him now," said Rangiku. "Jushiro's vision couldn't be a lie!"

Where the hell was Jushiro, anyway? She tapped her finger on the arm rest as she waited. 

"The last case hasn't been heard of in hundreds of years." Mayuri turned in his chair. "The long line of other victims that contracted the illness weren't even the chosen ones." 

"What the hell _makes_ them a chosen one, anyway?" asked Rangiku. 

"The answer is unclear but it's speculated that their roots to the moon deity as their incarnation or descendant could be a factor. Take Jushiro for example." Mayuri stroked his chin. "If our calculations are correct and he is indeed the chosen, the only cure is Squalo accepting his destiny. Accepting he's a Lunarite." His eyebrows pop up as if he remembered something. "Oh, you did tell him who you were… right?"

Rangiku stayed silent. How could she tell Squalo who she was to him? He wouldn't believe her, besides this would only confuse him as he's grown up with another family. Maybe he knew already he didn't belong there but she couldn't risk losing him again. She refused go look at Mayuri, biting her lip.

"Unbelievable," spat Mayuri. "Take one look at the boy and tell me he doesn't look like—"

"I _ know _," Rangiku slammed her hands on the table. "I fucking know… but I've already discussed it with Jushiro. We can't tell him our relationship to him."

Before Mayuri could retort, Jushiro rushed in, "I'm here." 

Rangiku stood up to her feet, meeting Jushiro in the middle. Jushiro handed over a black blade to her. He looked at it before sighing. There was a large amount of guilt and regret buried deep within their hearts. They felt this way before when they had to make a tough decision: leaving their son with mortal parents. They thought if they did that, Squalo could escape the life of turmoil.

But with Jushiro's powers gone and the time anomaly, he couldn't risk losing both his ex lover and his son. Though, Jushiro often blamed himself as being a part of the timeshift. They had to protect Squalo. From… _ him _.

*

*

*

_ Squalo you're chosen to return the future back to normal. You are destined to gundam out why the Lunar goddess disappeared. If you accept, you'll live. If you deny your duty, you die. _

Whoever this voice was, it was soothing. Everything was white. There was nothing and Squalo was close to becoming nothing. But he didn't want to believe that some destiny of finding some goddess was going to keep him alive. 

_ We need her back, Squalo. _

_ We need you. _

Squalo accepted. Not only did this make him feel important for the first time in his life, he also wanted to live. He had unfinished business and Squalo isn't one to roll over and die. When his eyes snapped open, he was met with the warm smile of Rangiku and Jushiro. They looked at each other, sighing relieved before turning to Squalo. Rangiku's hand shook as she rested the black blade on his torso.

"I know you just woke up but there's something you should know about this," said Rangiku. "It won't make sense now but later it will." She paused, shutting her eyes. She couldn't afford to miss any details. “You won’t be able to connect with this. It’s not impossible to force it but you're better off giving it to its true owner.”

"What's the point of giving it to me if I gotta give it the fuck away?" Yelled Squalo.

"Watch your mouth," said Jushiro, sternly. "The original blade we wanted to give you went missing. Maybe if you find the original owner for Yin, you'll find Yang—the original blade."

Squalo sighed, looking at the blade. Sounded easy enough.

After a month of staying in the base, they decided to let Squalo start his journey. For Rangiku, it was a tearful goodbye. Only because Squalo doesn't know who they are for the moment. Jushiro promised they will meet again. For sure they'll reveal themselves. When the time came, they hoped Squalo would come to forgive them.

But then, Squalo got swept up in mafia business. He met the man who captured his heart, who eventually became his boss. To be with him, he would abandon being a chosen Lunarite. Someone else can do it. Besides, he loved the blade, Yin. It was _ his _. He'll force it to become one with his soul.

His memories of Rangiku and Jushiro became hazy. He forgot about them completely. As if they were erased from his memories. Somehow, he felt he was always with the Varia family after running away from home...

Little did he know, abandoning his mission, shifted the timeline again, causing another anomaly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Don't forget to comment and give a kudos. 
> 
> I apologize for a lack of updates. Upon forgetting to update, I was side tracked by a different project. I realized I missed it when a friend of mind gushed about their own work. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's a bit long so I hope this makes up for it's absence.
> 
> This counts as part two of the last chapter!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Don't forget to comment and give a kudos. This is a project I will prioritize over my other fanfic since I've (almost) finished it when I wrote it back in 2013. It's really different from its original version but I love this revision so far and I'm existed to be working on it again after so long. I really hope you enjoy the rest to come. 
> 
> Please be patient while I try my hardest to dish out the chapters as consistently as I can! 
> 
> PS: I'm writing this all on my phone, so excuse any mistakes you see, thanks!


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